(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven. More specially, it relates to an over-the-range microwave oven which has improved filters to filter odors generated during range cooking.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
An over-the-range microwave oven (hereinafter, microwave oven) is an oven that utilizes high frequency energy to cook food. It is positioned above a gas range for filtering range-cooking odor. A conventional microwave oven includes a main body 10, a cooking chamber 11, and an electrical component compartment provided to the inside of the main body 10, as shown in FIG. 4. The cooking chamber 11 is open at the front of the main body 10, and a door 13 is hinged on one side of the front of the main body 10 for opening and closing the cooking chamber. The electrical component compartment 12, installed at one side of the cooking chamber 11, includes a magnetron 12a for supplying microwave frequencies to the cooking chamber 11, and a high-voltage transformer 12b for supplying high voltage to the magnetron 12a. A control panel 14 is located at the front surface of the electrical component compartment 12 to control the cooking operation.
An air vent or intake 40 is positioned in the bottom of the main body 10 for the inflow of odor, smoke, etc. from foodstuffs being cooked by the gas range under the microwave oven. The indoor air begins the ventilation cycle through the air intake 40. This cycle filters bad air, smoke, odor, etc. so that filtered air re-enters and circulates inside the room. The conventional ventilator will be fully described referring to FIG. 5.
An upper duct 18 is located in the upper part of the main body 10 for conducting air that was filtered after being received via the air vents 40. A grill 20 is provided at the front of the upper part of the main body 10 to vent the filtered air out of the upper duct 18. A pair of duct cases 15, each having an air inlet 15a and an air outlet 15b, are installed in the rear of the upper duct 18. A fan 16 is housed in each of the duct cases 15. An electric motor 17 is positioned between the duct cases 15 and is connected to the fans 16, thus rotating the fans 16. The upper duct 18 also includes a filter 19 to filter air sent to the grill 20, and a pair of rails 21 for supporting the filter 19. Both ends of the filter 19 are respectively inserted into the rails 21, and the filter 19 is vertically installed in front of the fans 16 and the electric motor 17.
Once power is applied to the microwave oven, the high voltage transformer 12b increases the amplitude of voltage and furnishes it to the magnetron 12a. The magnetron 12a emits high frequency energy to the cooking chamber 1. The high frequency energy, produced by the magnetron 12a, cooks food in the cooking chamber 11. At the same time, as the ventilator goes into action, odor, smoke, etc. created from the range-cooking process are sucked in by the fans 16 through the air intake 40 formed on the bottom of the main body 10, and conducted via right and left paths (not illustrated) of the main body 10, and are sent to the filter 19 through the outlets 15b of the duct cases 15. The air is filtered by the filter 19 and reintroduced to the room through the grill 20.
The filter 19, spaced horizontally from the cases 15, must be sufficiently large to extend completely across the duct 18 in order to filter all of the air being discharged. It will be appreciated that the cost of the filter is proportional to its size.